Keith Wright (Australian politician)

Keith Wright
Keith Wright
Leader of the Opposition in Queensland; Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland; Elections: 1983
	In office; 20 October 1982 – 29 August 1984
Preceded by	Ed Casey
Succeeded by	Nev Warburton
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Rockhampton; Rockhampton South (1969–1972)
	In office; 17 May 1969 – 5 November 1984
Preceded by	Rex Pilbeam
Succeeded by	Paul Braddy
Preceded by	In office; 1 December 1984 – 13 March 1993
Federal politics
Member of the Australian Parliament for Capricornia
	In office; 1 December 1984 – 13 March 1993
Preceded by	Doug Everingham
Succeeded by	Marjorie Henzell
Personal details
Born	Keith Webb Wright; 9 January 1942; Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Died	13 January 2015 (aged 73); Vietnam
Political party	Independent (since 1993); Labor (until 1993);
Spouse	Barbara Mitchell
Children	1
Parent(s)	Lindsay Gilbert Wright; Pauline Lizette
Alma mater	Kelvin Grove Teachers College; University of Queensland;
Occupation	Teacher; Politician;

Keith Webb Wright (9 January 1942 – 13 January 2015) was an Australian politician, teacher, and Baptist preacher who was Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland and Leader of the Opposition in Queensland between 1982–1984. Following his career in state politics, Wright sat in federal parliament for Labor between 1984–1993 in the seat of Capricornia.^[1]

In 1993, while a member of parliament, Wright was jailed for eight years for indecent dealing and rape.^[2]

Biography

Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Wright was educated at the University of Queensland and Kelvin Grove Teachers College^[1] in Brisbane before becoming a Rockhampton teacher and Baptist preacher.^[3]

On 17 May 1969, Wright was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as the Labor member for Rockhampton South and after a seat redistribution, represented Rockhampton (1972–1984).^[4] In 1982, he became Leader of the Opposition. Wright remained opposition leader until he left the Assembly in 1984, transferring to federal politics as the Labor MP for Capricornia in the Australian House of Representatives.

In 1993, Wright was charged with indecently dealing and rape,^[2] and as a result lost his Labor endorsement.^[5] He contested the 1993 election as an independent, gaining 5.9% of the vote but losing to endorsed ALP candidate Marjorie Henzell. In December 1993 he was convicted and jailed for nine years for raping and indecently dealing with two young girls.^[6]^[3]

After leaving jail, Wright moved to Vietnam and ran a company, International Language Academy Australia,^[7] which trains TESOL teachers in Southeast Asia.^[6]

Wright died in Vietnam on 13 January 2015, aged 73.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Disgraced former Queensland Labor leader Keith Wright dies in Vietnam". Retrieved 13 January 2015.
^ ^a ^b Keith Wright, former Queensland Labor leader jailed for paedophilia, dies aged 72 | Australia news | The Guardian
^ "Part 2.15 – Alphabetical Register of Members of the Legislative Assembly 1860–2017 and the Legislative Council 1860–1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2015–2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ Carr, Adam. "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 11 January 2015.
^ ^a ^b "Keith Wright says sorry for sexual sins that landed him in jail". The Courier-Mail. 18 December 2009.
^ "International Language Academy Australia".

Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Rex Pilbeam	Member for Rockhampton South 1969–1972	Seat abolished
Seat created	Member for Rockhampton 1972–1984	Succeeded by Paul Braddy
Political offices
Preceded by Ed Casey	Leader of the Opposition in Queensland 1982–1984	Succeeded by Nev Warburton
Party political offices
Preceded by Ed Casey	Leader of the Labor Party in Queensland 1982–1984	Succeeded by Nev Warburton
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Doug Everingham	Member for Capricornia 1984–1993	Succeeded by Marjorie Henzell

External links

Queensland Parliament biographical information, including brief details of conviction

[qp-1] "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.

[obit-2] "Disgraced former Queensland Labor leader Keith Wright dies in Vietnam". Retrieved 13 January 2015.

[autogenerated1-3] Keith Wright, former Queensland Labor leader jailed for paedophilia, dies aged 72 | Australia news | The Guardian

[qpm-4] "Part 2.15 – Alphabetical Register of Members of the Legislative Assembly 1860–2017 and the Legislative Council 1860–1922" (PDF). Queensland Parliamentary Record 2015–2017: The 55th Parliament. Queensland Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[Psephos-5] Carr, Adam. "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 11 January 2015.

[cm-6] "Keith Wright says sorry for sexual sins that landed him in jail". The Courier-Mail. 18 December 2009.

[ILA-7] "International Language Academy Australia".

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Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	Australia